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Walmart Father’s Day Deals For Every Dad’s “Man Cave”
Father’s Day is just around the corner, so no doubt you’ll be wanting to get your dad some cool gadgets for his “man cave”. Well, Walmart has some sick deals going on this Father’s Day, including a $128 Magnavox Blu-ray Disc player (NB500MGX)! Wow, no reason to not have a Blu-ray player now. Man that’s cheap! I remember when they were over $300. Other deals include select Blu-ray movies two for $20, inexpensive HDTVs, and more. Walmart explains, “Every dad has a man cave at home - the place you most likely will find him when he wants to relax. Starting June 14, Walmart is helping families find savings that add something more to man caves in his game room, garage and backyard.” They break down the various cave types, including The Game Room/Living Room Cave, The Home Office Cave, Mobile Man Cave, The Deck Cave, and The Garage Cave. What, no Parlor Room Cave, Bathroom Cave, Kitchen Cave, Laundry Room Cave? Oh, those are for Mother’s Day, you say? 
Check out the full release after the jump…
Continue reading Walmart Father’s Day Deals For Every Dad’s “Man Cave”…
Tags: dad, deals, deck, father's day, gadgets, garage, gps, hdtv, man cave, tools, video games, walmart
Related tags: walmart, father, deals
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Cox Communications Expands Fast 50Mbps Broadband Internet to Virginia
Cox Communications today expanded its fastest broadband service to residential and business customers in Northern Virginia. Now offered in Fairfax County and Fredericksburg it delivers up to 50 Megabits per second (Mbps) downloads and 5 Mbps uploads using DOCSIS 3.0. Last month, this service was launched in Lafayette, Louisiana.
The third generation of cable’s DOCSIS (Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification) service introduces channel bonding, a technology that can bond parallel cable channels to transmit data at faster speeds. Speeds are further enhanced with PowerBoost™, a cable-exclusive technology that provides an extra burst of speed when it’s needed.
Cox’s Ultimate Internet package provides residential customers with the ability to download movies and music, share files, stream video and compete with gamers around the world, faster than ever. DOCSIS 3.0 meets the increasing bandwidth demands of multiple users while optimizing their online experience. Standard price for the residential Ultimate Internet package will be $139.99 per month, with an introductory rate of $109 per month.
Interestingly, Northern Virginia business customers will also be able to take advantage of DOCSIS 3.0 technology through Cox Business Internet’s new “premium package”. It too features download speeds up to 50 Mbps and 5 Mbps uploads, but they claim Cox Business Internet helps optimize support for corporate e-mail, online research and Web-based business applications. Yeah right. You’re paying more for the premium business with the same speed as the home edition.
The company has already launched DOCSIS 3.0 in Lafayette Parish, La., and plans to offer Ultimate Internet to several Cox markets by the end of 2009, and to more than two-thirds of its footprint in 2010.
Now if only Verizon (FiOS fiber-to-the-home), AT&T (Uverse Fiber-to-the-neighborhood), Comcast (DOCSIS 3.0 55mbps), or Charter Communications (cable broadband) would bring affordable high-speed Internet to my neighborhood. Stuck on pokey DSL! 
Tags: broadband, cable, cox, cox communications, Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification, DOCSIS, internet, virginia
Related tags: ultimate internet, business internet, business customers, internet package, northern virginia, internet
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Netflix Increases Blu-ray Prices from $1 to $4!
Just got this email from Netflix sating they are increasing my Blu-ray access from $1 to $4 per month. What the hell? I have to pay 4 times what I was paying before? Way to screw your most loyal customers Netflix! Sure, the $1/month might have been a low-cost enticement to get people to sign-up for Blue-ray movie rentals, but you can’t just increase the price 4-fold overnight. I think we Blu-ray fans would be much more accepting if the price increase was more gradual. Here, read the email in all it’s glory…
You are receiving this email because you added unlimited Blu-ray access to your account for $1 a month. The number of Blu-ray titles has increased significantly and will continue to do so. As we buy more, you are able to choose from a rapidly expanding selection of Blu-ray titles. And as you’ve probably heard, Blu-ray discs are substantially more expensive than standard definition DVDs.
As a result, the monthly charge for Blu-ray access is increasing for most plans and will now vary by plan. The charge for monthly Blu-ray access on your 3 DVDs at-a-time (Unlimited) plan will increase from $1 a month to $4 a month. The price of your 3 DVDs at-a-time (Unlimited) plan is not changing and remains at $16.99 a month.
The new charge for Blu-ray access will be automatically added to your next billing statement on or after April 27, 2009 and will be referenced in your Membership Terms and Details.
If you wish to continue unlimited Blu-ray access for $4 a month, you don’t need to do anything. If not, you can remove Blu-ray access anytime by visiting Your Account.
If you have questions about this change or need any assistance, please call us anytime at 1-888-923-0898.
-The Netflix Team
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Tags: netflix, blu-ray, dvd, movies, rentals
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TechCrunch Touchpad - Needs 3G/4G/EVDO, Skype, and VoIP
TechCrunch has a prototype of their tablet PC featuring a touchscreen, Wi-Fi, an accelerometer, a camera and a four cell battery running on a stripped down version of Linux. Well, actually they’re running the prototype on full-fledged Linux, but they promise better performance once they strip out all the extra stuff.
According to TechCrunch:
The device has a 12-inch touchscreen with a 4:3 aspect ratio (which is ideal for web browsing in my opinion). It is powered with a Via Nano processor, which has performed at par with the Intel Atom in our testing. 1 GB of ram (its more than we need) and a 4 GB flash drive to store the OS and browser and any cache. Resolution is 1024×768, which means the vast majority of websites are viewed in full width without scrolling.
So what’s missing from this Techcrunch tablet gadget? Well, how bout a PCMCIA slot for inserting an EVDO/3G/4G card. Forget Wi-Fi - that’s so 2005. We need to be able to roam and happily surf the web when outside earshot of a Wi-Fi access point. Although it does have a USB port, so maybe it will support USB-based EVDO/3G/4G dongles. PCMCIA is pretty large come to think of it, taking up a lot of internal space. A touch screen tablet optimized for web surfing needs to be as thin and as light as possible.
It should also support Skype, including Skype videoconferencing using the embedded camera. Maybe it will and maybe it won’t, but surprisingly no mention of Skype in the article. It should also support some SIP softphone client for those that like to BYOVA (Bring Your Own VoIP Access).
What else would you like to see?
Tags: 3g, 4g, EVDO, PCMCIA, skype, TechCrunch, touch screen tablet, voip
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Comments on this Entry:
(Andrew on
Jan 19, 2009 5:23 PM)
If you want to hit a sub 200-300$ price point (as is the goal) forget Skype, and the other things you want. Browser based VoIP is the best you are going to get.
(Tom Keating on
Jan 19, 2009 5:30 PM)
Linux already supports a full-fledged Skype client. It’s only hard drive space - so why not at least make it available on this tablet? Browser-based VoIP clients are OK, but Skype is still the dominant player, especially if you IM/VoIP your buddy list a lot. Skype just has much more traction still than other VoIP clients.
I assume TechCrunch isn’t “locking” the device, so maybe Skype will at least be user-installable - as will other Linux apps.
Blu-ray Defies Recession with Christmas Sales Exceeding DVD
More proof that my prediction of a Blu-ray Christmas is coming true… According to the Blu-ray Disc Association, British consumers bought 462,500 Blu-ray discs in November, an increase of 165% from October. They put out a release with a very positive title that proudly claims, “Blu-ray Beats Recession Blues Sales Soar in Lead Up to Christmas at Even Quicker Rate than DVD”.
Like I said in my pro- Blu-ray prediction, “I think consumers are looking to escape today’s harsh economic climate. Watching movies is a heck of a lot cheaper than going to the movies. People are going out a lot less, eating out less, but they still want some form of escapism and quality entertainment. For that reason, I think it’s going to be a very “black” Blu-ray Christmas.”
Echoing my sentiments, according to the news release, “Despite the gloomiest of financial forecasts, sales of Blu-ray disc movies are defying the odds and bucking the credit crunch - with record figures reported in the run up to Christmas. And it’s not just films flying off the shelves, Blu-ray disc players are also following suit, with a strong upsurge in European sales that is expected to continue into the New Year. In fact, overall sales are predicted to more than triple in 2009, reaching 2.5million units Europe wide* (and that figure does not even include the millions of Playstation 3 consoles, with their in-built Blu-ray players, that will be sold over the next few months).”
It also states that sales figures from the British Video Association (BVA) released in December, show that block-buster Hollywood titles such The Dark Knight sold a whopping 513,000 units in one day with Blu-ray disc representing 21% of all discs sold.
What’s even more telling in these figures from the U.K. is that the 
British pound is much weaker against the Japanese yen and since no Blu-ray players are made in the U.K., that means there is a premium paid due to the pound-to-yen exchange rate. The U.S. dollar is also weak against the Japanese yen, however there are Blu-ray players made in the U.S., including the Magnavox NB500MG9 Blu-ray player which was sold on Black Friday at Walmart for $128.
So I expect U.S. sales of Blu-ray players this Christmas to be even better than the United Kingdom. We shall see if my prediction was right when most experts are expecting Blu-ray disc sales to disappoint due to the global slowing economy.
Tags: blu-ray, blu-ray player, christmas, economy, magnavox, NB500MG9, ps3, recession
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Christmas Blu-ray player + Netflix = A Very Blue Christmas
I have a Blu-ray player on my Christmas list that I hope to get. Santa Claus hasn’t failed me yet. I also have a subscription to Netflix and planned on upgrading it to the Blu-ray package for an additional $1/month should I stay off Santa’s “naughty list” this year. 
This would give me access to Netflix’s massive Blu-ray library. Apparently, I shouldn’t get too excited though. According to this CNET article, Blu-ray movies discs aren’t being delivered as quickly as regular DVDs.
Continue reading Christmas Blu-ray player + Netflix = A Very Blue Christmas…
Tags: blu-ray, blu-ray player, christmas, CNET, movies, netflix, santa claus
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Football Drives HDTV Sales
And now the truth can be told!
HDTV manufacturer Samsung has revealed that a survey found football to be the most popular sport to influence HDTV purchases among sports fans in America.
The survey from Kelton Research revealed that more than half (54%) of all football fans would most likely purchase a new HDTV for the start of football season if their budgets allowed.
Football had the highest purchasing influence for HDTVs over all other fan favorites, including baseball (9%) and basketball (7%).
Now let’s get ready for Monday Night Football!
And don’t forget the snacks!
Thanks to Advanced-Television.com.
Tags: HDTV, monday night football, samsung
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Home Entertainment Is Counter-Cyclical
A national survey, commissioned by Verizon, of 1,026 American adults has found that a majority (57%) plan to spend more time at home turning to their televisions instead of events outside the home during the economic crisis.
And while this would seem to indicate that American families are stinting on entertainment, in fact, the opposite may be true. Very curious indeed!
Recent advances in television technology have made “home enterstayment” a way for many families to stretch their entertainment dollars while increasing their entertainment options and time together.
“Staying at home no longer means your entertainment options are limited,” said Shruti Joshi, director of marketing for Verizon. “As families continue to look for ways to manage their budgets, they’re realizing that by staying home they actually have more choices, more control and more time together.
“For example, even in this economy, over the last two months, we see strong growth in FiOS TV video-on-demand sales.”
Thanks to Advanced-Television.com.
Tags: fios, verizon, video-on-demand
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Blockbuster Goes All-in-One in Nevada
Blockbuster has chosen Reno, Nev., as the test market for a new store concept that combines video rentals with sales of video game accessories, high-definition TVs and other home entertainment products.
Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes said the company is “selling convenience” with the new design.
And you know we gadgeteers love convenience, even if we have to wait for it.
We hope the still have snacks!
More a the The Cincinnati Enquirer/Gannett News Service.
Tags: blockbuster, HDTV
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The Top Holiday Gift Choices? Is It Blu-ray? Or Not?
You’ve seen the recent blogs about how nine of the top 10 best-selling items so far this holiday shopping season are gadgets — but how about them Ugg boots!
Seriously, we’ve seen how this is the season of Blu-ray and this isn’t the season for Blu-ray. Honestly, what do you think?
For me personally, I’m still busy with DVDs, some PayPerView and even some old video cassettes if the movie is good enough — but granted, those DVDs do look better!
So I’m not too close to plunking down greenbacks for Blu-ray, but if the hardware prices keep drop, drop, dropping and the software prices keep drop, drop, dropping, then perhaps I will take the plunge.
But how many gadgets can I stack up in an AV home theater system anyway?
And time for some new cables, too!
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I told you it was going to be a Blu-ray Christmas!
I hate to say I told you so, but today’s PriceGrabber.com gadget report on Black Friday sales, once again proves my opinion that this Christmas will be a “black” Blu-ray Christmas! My opinion goes against conventional wisdom that Blu-ray won’t succeed, and that streaming HD using Roku/Netflix, and cable providers offering HD content is now closing the window of opportunity for Blu-ray. I’m not buying that theory. Additionally, several other articles, including CRN’s Consumers Not Planning a Blu-Ray Christmas article and Register Hardware’s ‘A Blu-ray Christmas? Don’t bank on it’ don’t believe my opinion that it will be a Blu-ray Christmas.
The most popular products on Black Friday - specifically look at #3, the Blu-ray player:
- Nintendo Wii Console
- Ugg Australia ‘Classic Short’ Boot (how about that!)
- Sony BDP-S350 1080p Blu-Ray Disc Player
- Samsung LN52A650 52″ LCD TV
- Nintendo Wii Fit
- Panasonic TH-42PX80U 42″ Plasma TV
- Sennheiser HD 555 Headphones
- Canon EOS Rebel XSi Black SLR Digital Camera Kit
- Acer Aspire One AOA110-1295 Notebook
- Canon PowerShot A590 IS Black Digital Camera
Out of all the possible gadgets in the world, a Blu-ray player ranks #3.
Also, as previously blogged, here are the Top 10 categories and percent growth over Black Friday 2007. Once again look at #3, which sports a 147% increase!
- Women’s Boots - 203%
- Watches - 202%
- Blu-ray/HD-DVD Players - 147%
- Women’s Sleep & Lounge Wear - 415%
- Games & Puzzles - 151%
- Women’s Jackets - 110%
- Music - 96%
- Headphones - 103%
- Women’s Dresses - 107%
- Women’s Casual Shoes - 143%
As I mentioned yesterday, I’m l keeping my eye on Amazon for any Blu-ray specials. (see: Amazon Blu-ray player special prices). Today, I see a Sony BDP-S350 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player for just $198! I might just get my brother-in-law a nice Blu-ray player after all!
Tags: 1080p, Blu-ray Christmas, Blu-ray Disc Player, blu-ray player, gadgets, Sony BDP-S350
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Gadgets Help Drive Black Friday Sales
Despite one of the worst economic climates in decades, consumer spending on Black Friday hit $10.6 billion, 3% higher than the day after Thanksgiving in 2007, according to researcher ShopperTrak.
Gadgets accounted for nine of the top 10 most popular Black Friday products, PriceGrabber said.
Data from PriceGrabber.com shows that online consumers are taking advantage of promotions on popular electronics, including LCD and plasma TVs, Blu-ray disc players, digital SLR cameras, laptops and video game consoles.
The most popular products on Black Friday:
- Nintendo Wii Console
- Ugg Australia ‘Classic Short’ Boot (how about that!)
- Sony BDP-S350 1080p Blu-Ray Disc Player
- Samsung LN52A650 52″ LCD TV
- Nintendo Wii Fit
- Panasonic TH-42PX80U 42″ Plasma TV
- Sennheiser HD 555 Headphones
- Canon EOS Rebel XSi Black SLR Digital Camera Kit
- Acer Aspire One AOA110-1295 Notebook
- Canon PowerShot A590 IS Black Digital Camera
And while we are at it, here are the Top 10 categories and percent growth over Black Friday 2007:
- Women’s Boots - 203%
- Watches - 202%
- Blu-ray/HD-DVD Players - 147%
- Women’s Sleep & Lounge Wear - 415%
- Games & Puzzles - 151%
- Women’s Jackets - 110%
- Music - 96%
- Headphones - 103%
- Women’s Dresses - 107%
- Women’s Casual Shoes - 143%
More at PriceGrabber.com and The Washington Post.
Tags: acer, black friday, canon, nintendo, panasonic, samsung, sennheiser, sony
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Black Friday Results are in!
It appears it just might be a Merry Christmas even with the doom & gloom surrounding the economy. I guess President-elect Barack Obama must be the Messiah, since he’s already creating miracles and he hasn’t even been sworn in yet.
Check this out:
NRF Survey Finds Black Friday Gets Holiday Season Off to Energetic Start
– Great Bargains, Pent-Up Demand Drove Shoppers to Stores, Web
Though the holiday season is far from over, retailers across the country are breathing a collective sigh of relief after shoppers headed to stores and websites in droves over the weekend. According to the National Retail Federation’s 2008 Black Friday Weekend survey, conducted by BIGresearch, more than 172 million shoppers visited stores and websites over Black Friday weekend, up from 147 million shoppers last year.*
Shoppers spent an average of $372.57 this weekend*, up 7.2 percent over last year’s $347.55. Total spending reached an estimated $41.0 billion.
“Pent-up demand on electronics and clothing, plus unparalleled bargains on this season’s hottest items helped drive shopping all weekend,” said NRF President and CEO Tracy Mullin. “Holiday sales are not expected to continue at this brisk pace, but it is encouraging that Americans seem excited to go shopping again.”
Friday was clearly the busiest day of the weekend with 73.6 million people hitting stores and websites for doorbuster sales. Though traffic did subside after Friday, retailers were also buoyed by two-day sales as 56.9 million people shopped on Saturday, up from 48.3 million last year, while another 26.2 million people planned to shop on Sunday. Thanksgiving Day also continues to increase in importance as the number of people who shopped on Thursday was up 48 percent over last year (16.2 million people vs. 10.9 million people).
Those who shopped on Friday lived by the adage that the early bird catches the worm. The survey found that 23.3 percent of shoppers were at stores by 5 a.m. while more than half (57.6%) were at stores by 9 a.m. Bargains appeared to be so good that people have more of a jumpstart on shopping.
According to the findings, Americans have completed slightly more shopping than they had one year ago (39.3% vs. 36.4%), indicating that traffic and sales over the next several weeks will moderate.
“Though retailers should be encouraged by strong traffic and sales over the weekend, consumers are still being cautious,” said Phil Rist, Executive Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, BIGresearch. “Weekend shoppers indicated that they are still sticking to a budget and thinking carefully before making any holiday purchases.”
Though retailers in all categories were featuring big bargains, a majority of shoppers visited discount stores for holiday deals. According to the survey, more than half (54.7%) of this weekend’s shoppers visited discount stores. Nearly half (43.0%) shopped at a traditional department store, up 11.1 percent from 38.7 percent last year. About one-third of shoppers visited specialty stores like clothing or electronics stores (36.0%) and shopped online (34.0%).
As expected, many shoppers (50.9%) purchased clothing and accessories over the weekend while 39.0 percent bought books, DVDs, CDs and video games and 35.9 percent purchased consumer electronics. Toys were also big sellers, as 28.5 percent of shoppers bought a toy. Gift card purchasing dropped ten percent with 18.7 percent of shoppers purchasing a gift card over the weekend, down from 21.0 percent last year.
NRF continues to project that holiday sales will rise 2.2 percent this year to $470.4 billion.
About the Survey
The NRF 2008 Black Friday Weekend survey was designed to gauge consumer behavior and shopping trends related to the winter holidays. NRF defines the weekend as sales from Thursday, November 27 to Sunday, November 30. The survey, which polled 3,370 consumers, was conducted for NRF by BIGresearch from November 27-29, 2008. The consumer poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.7 percent.
BIGresearch is a consumer market intelligence firm that provides unique consumer insights that are gathered online utilizing very large sample sizes. BIGresearch’s syndicated Consumer Intentions and Actions survey monitors the pulse of more than 8,000 consumers each month to empower its clients with unique insights for identifying opportunities in a fragmented and changing marketplace.
The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association, with membership that comprises all retail formats and channels of distribution including department, specialty, discount, catalog, Internet, independent stores, chain restaurants, drug stores and grocery stores as well as the industry’s key trading partners of retail goods and services. NRF represents an industry with more than 1.6 million U.S. retail establishments, more than 24 million employees - about one in five American workers - and 2007 sales of $4.5 trillion. As the industry umbrella group, NRF also represents more than 100 state, national and international retail associations. www.nrf.com
Via NRF
Tags: Barack Obama, Black Friday, Christmas, National Retail Federation, Thanksgiving
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Cyber Monday Amazon Deals
Amazon has a special landing page listing all their Cyber Monday deals. Amazon doesn’t call it “Cyber Monday” but rather the “Black-Friday-After-Thanksgiving-Sale”, so this landing page should be good until Christmas. Maybe they were afraid Cyber Monday was patented, kinda like their one-click ordering patent.
Anyway, here’s the current category breakdown on the Amazon holiday specials landing page:
- Black Friday deals in Toys & Games
- Black Friday Deals in Electronics Just Keep Going
- Hot Kitchen and Home Black Friday Deals
- Black Friday Deals in Sports & Outdoors
- Limited Time: Save up to 50% on Home Improvement Essentials
- Exclusive Cyber Monday Deals in Beauty
- Limited-Time Black Friday Deals in Apparel, Plus $10 off $50, $20 off $100 Orders
There are some Blu-ray DVD players for sale, including a Samsung BD-P1500 Blu-ray Player for $199. (under $200). Still doesn’t beat the $128 Blu-ray player Wal-Mart was offering on Black Friday (now $199), but it’s the best deal on Amazon today.
For the full listing on Amazon holiday specials, head over here.
Tags: Amazon.com, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, sale, Thanksgiving
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It’s Going to be a Blu-ray Christmas
Some experts are skeptical about whether consumers will buy Blu-ray DVD players this Christmas - I am not one of them. Many are saying it’s going to be a “blue” Blu-ray Christmas. I disagree. I went shopping for a cheap Blu-ray DVD player on Black Friday, with one bargain special at Wal-Mart offering a $128 Blu-ray player. This was one of the biggest deals offered by Wal-Mart on Black Friday, and one was to wonder if this deal was part of the draw for the raucous crowd that stampeded and killed a Wal-Mart employee.
When I went to one Wal-Mart, then told me they sold out in 2 hours. I tried another one and they told me I just missed the last unit by less than an hour.
Wal-Mart was offering the Magnavox NB500MG9 Blu-ray Disc Player, a mid-range Blu-ray player. Today (Cyber Monday), that same Blu Ray player is going for $199 online.
Features of the Magnavox NB500MG9 Blu-ray player include Full-HD 1080 output (24 or 60p), 1080p DVD upconversion, Composite video output Component video output, Progressive scan video output for HDTVs, HDMI with audio output for Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound, Digital audio output (coaxial), Analog audio output (left and right), CD support, Jpeg photo viewer, screen saver and surround sound effects. However, the Magnavox NB500MG9 Blu-ray player only supports Blu-ray profile 1.1 and not the current Blu-ray 2.0 version. Thus, no BD-Live support for access to more special content via the Internet. Still, this was a bargain Blu-ray player coming closest to breaking the $100 barrier. I planned on giving it to my brother-in-law for Christmas since he was looking at upgrading to a 42″ HDTV flat screen.
If the two Wal-Marts I visited are any indication that this will be a “Blu-ray Christmas”, then retailers that sell Blu-ray players and Blu-ray discs should be very happy. In fact, I’m surprised with retailers haven’t offered a $99 Blu-ray player for sale. Yes, they’d be taking a loss, but perhaps they could offer it as part of a bundle, such as buy 5 Blu-ray movies at $24.99 and get a $99 Blu-ray DVD player plus a coupon for 50% off your next Blu-ray purchase. They’ll entice them to come back and purchase more Blu-ray titles, which should more than offset any profits lost on the low-priced Blu-ray player. Once they get consumers hooked on Blu-ray, they’ll be paying nearly double what regular DVDs cost.
Retailers need a shot in the arm and one way of doing that is by getting a Blu-ray player in as many homes as possible and as quickly as possible - before HD-on-demand starts to take off. Personally, I prefer to own my movies rather than rent/PPV/video-on-demand. I like to build my movie library so I can watch any of my 500+ movies anytime I want without paying another dime. I think consumers are looking to escape today’s harsh economic climate. Watching movies is a heck of a lot cheaper than going to the movies. People are going out a lot less, eating out less, but they still want some form of escapism and quality entertainment. For that reason, I think it’s going to be a very “black” Blu-ray Christmas. I have a Blu-ray player on my Christmas wish-list. Crossing fingers Santa Claus thinks I’ve been good this year. 
Also, since today is Cyber Monday, I’m keeping my eye on Amazon for any Blu-ray specials (see: Amazon Blu-ray player special prices). You should as well.
Tags: Amazon, Black Friday, Blu-ray, Blu-ray Christmas, Christmas, Cyber Monday, DVD, player, Wal-Mart
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Force Skype HQ Video Mode with any webcam
So you want Skype High Quality (HQ) video, but aren’t willing to shell out for a nice dual-core processor and a high-end Logitech camera, eh? Well, no worries - Nodewave has a Force ‘Skype’ HQ Video app that allows you to Enable/Disable (and even configure) High-Quality Video in Skype, and even High-Definition Video regardless of your camera or processor.
So if Santa doesn’t stick a high-end Logitech Orb AF webcam (my favorite webcam) in your stocking for Christmas, then this hack might just be the way to go!
Tags: hq video, Logitech, Orb AF, Skype, voip, webcam
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Need more Terabytes this Christmas?
Looking for a faster, bigger hard drive this Christmas? (Two days till Black Friday sales by the way) Well, I came across this funny Youtube video of the day - filmed at famous Mac Store Tekserve in Manhattan, New York and paid for by drive manufacturer Seagate. It’s a tad long, but it features a hip-hop office drama and the desire for “A new disk drive. 1.5 Terabytes….” (don’t let that little jingle get stuck in your head) Just in time for the Christmas holiday season.
Via 9to5mac.com
Tags: Black Friday, Christmas, funny, Mac Store, Manhattan, NYC, Tekserve, video, youtube
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NFL Goes 3-D
When the National Football League broadcasts next week’s San Diego-Oakland game to theaters in three cities, it will mark the first time that the league has used 3-D technology during a live event.
The game will be shot using special cameras and broadcast via satellite to theaters in Los Angeles, New York, and Boston on December 4.
The event will be a demonstration to show how the technology can be used to provide a more realistic experience in a theater or in the home.
Now remember when heavyweight boxing matches used to be show in theaters in the one of the first applications of pay-per-view?
More at CNET.
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Blockbuster Sees Beauty of On-Demand
Making its first foray into on-demand video, Blockbuster has started offering customers a small box made by 2Wire that, when attached to a TV set, can play the company’s videos once they’ve been downloaded the movie over a broadband line.
The move is an attempt to blunt the success of such competitors as cable companies, with their vast on-demand offerings, and Netflix.
If you do it, let us know!
More at The Washington Post/The Associated Press.
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Netflix’s ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ Problem: Worth Solving!
The Napoleon Dynamite problem is driving Len Bertoni crazy.
Bertoni is a 51-year-old “semiretired” computer scientist who lives an hour outside Pittsburgh. In the spring of 2007, his sister-in-law e-mailed him an intriguing bit of news: Netflix, the Web-based DVD-rental company, was holding a contest to try to improve Cinematch, its “recommendation engine.” The prize: $1 million.
Cinematch is the bit of software embedded in the Netflix Web site that analyzes each customer’s movie-viewing habits and recommends other movies that the customer might enjoy.
Did you like the legal thriller The Firm? Well, maybe you’d like Michael Clayton. Or perhaps A Few Good Men.
The Netflix Prize goes to anyone who can make Cinematch’s predictions 10% more accurate. That sounds like an awfully big prize for such a small improvement. But, in fact, Netflix’s founders have tried for years to improve Cinematch, with only incremental results, and they knew that a 10% bump would be a challenge for even the most deft programmer.
They also knew that getting to 10% would certainly be worth well in excess of $1 million to the company.
The competition was announced in October 2006, and no one has won yet, although 30,000 hackers worldwide are hard at work on the problem. Each day, teams submit their updated solutions to the Netflix Prize Web page, and Netflix instantly calculates how much better than Cinematch they are. (There’s even a live “leader board” ranking the top contestants.)
More at the New York TImes.
Tags: cinematch, netflix, netflix prize
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Broadband-enabled Game Consoles: Bye-Bye Pay TV?
A report from research consultancy TDG predicts that portals like Microsoft’s Xbox Live and Sony’s PlayStation Network will soon become formidable competitors to incumbent Pay TV services.
Leveraging broadband-enabled game consoles as the next-generation video platforms — and bypassing cable and satellite TV operators, these companies will offer a compelling alternative to traditional TV programming by providing a more immersive, interactive video experience.
The launch of Microsoft’s Experience and the Xbox Live Netflix streaming video service is a perfect example of how potent these services will soon become. There is little doubt these services are finally ready for prime time.
Even before the launch of Experience, Microsoft’s Xbox Live had amassed some 15,000 movies (1,000 of which are HD) and some 13,000 TV shows for download-to-own. The Netflix partnership adds 12,000 movies and TV programs to the mix, all for free streaming to Netflix subscribers.
Sony’s PlayStation Network has collected close to 1,000 movies and hundreds of TV programs for download-to-own. It has also announced plans to expand dramatically its video library in the next few months in order to compete with Xbox Live.
Many thanks to Advanced-Television.
Tags: download-to-own, experience, microsoft, netflix, playstation network, sony, xbox live
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How about a Waterproof TV for You?
Pantel debuts the latest in waterproof TVs!
Pantel is preparing updated versions of its waterproof Mirror TV line: LCD TV sets that are mirrors when not in use and can go in wet environments such as outdoors, a shower or a sauna.
The new offerings will come in four screen sizes ranging from 17 to 32 inches and are expected to begin shipping to retailers by the end of the year.
Now what will they think of next!
More at TWICE.
Tags: pantel, waterproof tv
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Converter Coupon Expired?
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Robert McDowell recently fielded questions from the public about the DTV transition in Philadelphia, including this one:
“I thought I lost my converter coupons I received in the mail, but later found them in my desk drawer at work, the coupons had expired and I was told I could not get replacement, even though I told them I could send back the coupons I received. Is there a way to receive another coupon or am I just out of luck? Thanks for your help.”
McDowell: “Great question. Congress mandated that the coupons expire within 90 days. So your best recourse is to find a friend, neighbor or relative who does not need a coupon to order one for you and give it to you. Of course, if you don’t need the coupon to be able to purchase the box, you can just buy one outright. They cost as little as $40.”
Less than 100 days remain before the nation’s analog broadcast television system is shut down for good. Thus far, the federal government has mailed nearly 32 million $40 coupons for the digital-to-analog converter boxes necessary to keep old TV sets working without cable or satellite. Of that 32 million, nearly a third have expired; 13.5 million have been redeemed, and the rest are floating around or sitting at the bottom of a drawer.
Stations have been doing dry runs for months to get folks prepared for the transition, and one of the most prevalent issues involves reception. The antennas that pulled in mostly low-VHF channels don’t necessarily do the trick for digital signals, many of which will be UHF.
Where will you be when they pull the plug?
More at Television Broadcast.
Tags: converter boxes, converter coupons, dtv transition, fcc
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Vudu Does HD VOD Big Time
Vudu, a startup that sells and rents movies via its Internet-connected set-top box, has boosted High-Definition library to 1,100 on-demand titles – for now, outdistancing any cable operator’s HD video-on-demand service.
To build what it c
laimed is the largest library of HD content available to consumers, Vudu added on average of 150 HD titles per week in October.
The service requires a minimum 4-Mbps connection for instant playback of HD titles.
Vudu is attempting to sell its $300 set-top to home-theater buffs by emphasizing the service’s broad content selection and navigation features. Movies on the service are available for 24-hour rental for between 99 cents and $3.99, and $9.99 to $19.99 for download-to-own.
As part of its strategy to target high-end consumers, Vudu last month began offering 65 feature movie titles for rental in 1080p high-definition video format, the highest HD format currently defined.
More at Multichannel News.
Tags: video on demand, vod, vudu
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PC Magazine Stops the Presses - Online Only
I grew up reading PC Magazine and I looked forward each couple weeks to picking up my copy of PC Magazine at the local grocery store. But today, Ziff Davis has announced that the legendary PC Magazine print publication is shutting down its print publication and focusing exclusively on online content. This is truly a sad day… 
Hold on while I grab some tissues…
PC Magazine started the whole in-depth comparative reviews of PCs and Microsoft software. They expanded later to including gadgets, MP3 players, mobile phones, GPS, and other technology. PC Magazine offered insightful tech tips and great columnists like John C. Dvorak. Back in the 80s and 90s the print publication was 400-500 pages, making for hours of tech- reading pleasure. Today, it’s down to 150 pages and soon to be 0 (January 2009).
Well, I guess it’s “greener” that way. But I for one will miss my print copy of PC Magazine.
Tags: John C. Dvorak, PC Magazine
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Xbox 360 as Internet-to-TV Portal
Hoping to provide viewers with an easy way to move Internet-based video onto TV screens, GridNetworks has announced a new service that would do just that by routing the content through an Xbox 360 gaming console.
The service is designed to work with any device that uses Universal Plug and Play protocols and, in the future, GridNetworks wants to be able to use Sony’s PlayStation 3 as the conduit as well.
More at Multichannel News.
Tags: gridnetworks, internet-based video, PlayStation 3, Sony, Universal Plug and Play, xbox 360
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Pioneer Stores Coming to a Mall Near You
Don’t know why gadget companies want to open up their own unique stores, but Pioneer has opened its second U.S. retail store in Phoenix.
The 3,200 square-foot store showcases Pioneer’s state-of-the-art products in a comfortable home environment with six vignettes, each featuring unique themes and different technologies, as well as a revamped mobile electronics section bringing an interactive shopping experience to customers.
Well, I guess I do know, but don’t think that Pioneer ranks up their with Apple or Bose as a big draw.
But maybe I’m wrong.
Would you rather shop at an all-gadgets retailer like Best Buy or head to a unique manufacturer-only site?
Or are you comfortable doing both?
Tags: apple, best buy, bose, mobile electronics, pioneer
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How Much Is That HDTV in the Window?
New consumer research has found that 34% of U.S. households have at least one HDTV set, double the percentage of households that had such TVs two years ago.
The growth of HDTV sets has largely been driven by on-going consumer purchasing of TV sets coupled with a dwindling supply of lower-end non-HDTV sets being sold, according to the Leichtman Research Group.
Overall, 22% of all households purchased a new TV set in the past 12 months, with 43% of this group spending more than $1,000 on a new TV.
These findings are based on a survey of 1,302 households throughout the United States.
Now if we could just get the other two-thirds to pick up a HDTV set we’d be all better off … would that help the global economy or what?
More at Multichannel News.
Tags: hdtv
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Wal-Mart Getting Jump on Black Friday Deals
An upcoming Wal-Mart sale will offer Black Friday-like deals, including a notebook for $298 and 46-inch 1080p LCD HDTV for $798.
Just as it did last year with a sale that lured shoppers into its maze of fluorescent lighting for $350 laptops, Wal-Mart will once again begin its holiday sales early with a one-day shopping event to precede Black Friday.
The company’s sale will include several high-profile deals, including a laptop for $298, a 46-inch Sanyo LCD HDTV for $798, and a PS3 that comes with a $100 gift card.
Specifications on the $298 laptop, a Compaq CQ50-139WM, have moved up significantly from the models offered as last year’s doorbusters. Though it will still get a single-core Intel Celeron M processor clocked at 2GHz, the CQ50 also gets 2GB of DDR2 RAM a 160GB hard drive, and Intel’s 4500MHD media accelerator.
More at DigitalTrends.
Tags: black friday, compaq, intel celeron m, sanyo, wal-mart
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Top HDTVs under $1000
Want to know the top HDTVs & LCDs under $1000? Well, Amazon has a sweet round-up of the top HDTVs that won’t break the bank. My 480i/480p/1080i 65″ rear-projection TV is getting a bit old, it’s bulky, and it doesn’t support 1080p, so might be time for me to buy one of these or add it to my Christmas wish list.
Read: Amazon’s Top HDTVs under $1000
Tags: 1080i, 1080p, 480i, 480p, HDTV, LCD, television, top HDTVs
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Jan 07, 2008
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Roku Streaming HD from Roku — Before Year End
Roku representatives have responded to rumors on its online forum board regarding when it will launch streaming HD services and announced, earlier than they’d like, that it will team up with Netflix to bring HD content to its subscribers.
Compared to the recently announced Xbox and Netflix tie-up that will also see streaming HD content to the Xbox, Roku will use different Advanced Profile encoding to deliver the HD content at significantly lower bit-rates.
In related news, CNet reports that Netflix has decided to stop selling used DVDs to its customer base, instead deciding to focus its attention on its rental by mail and Watch Instantly services.
“As you know, our core business is delivering great movie rentals to you on DVD by mail and instantly to the computer and TV, so we’ve decided it makes sense for us to focus exclusively on that,” the company stated in a Netflix blog post.
More on the streaming from Electronista (and thanks for the photo).
Tags: CNet, netflix, roku, streaming HD, xbox
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WB Goes for Legal Movie Downloads — In China Only
In an attempt to make headway against rampant film piracy, Warner Bros. will distribute newly released films online in China.
The studio struck a deal with Union Voole Technology in China to offer new movies as well as those that have never been seen in Chinese theaters at rental prices ranging from 60 cents to $1.
The inexpensive video-on-demand service seeks to entice China’s estimated 253 million Internet users to pay for Hollywood fare rather than download illicit copies.
How about a “Coming to America” version for all of us over here?
More at the Los Angeles Times.
Tags: movie downloads, warner bros.
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Watch Two TV Programs at Once on Same TV!
It sounds like an offer out of the back of a comic book, but Texas Instruments (TI), the maker of the DLP Cinema chip, is developing technology that might make it possible to watch two programs on one TV at the same time.
The company recently outlined some of its early developments that use 3-D technology for home entertainment at the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers Technical Conference and Exhibition in Hollywood, CA.
One development, which TI expects to begin to preview at year’s end, is processing technology that if incorporated in a third-party home entertainment system could allow for 2-D, 3-D or “dual view mode” on the same TV. Dual view mode, similar to 3-D, combines two images, but they are two different images.
Yes, and you can expect to wear special glasses, too …
More at the Hollywood Reporter.
Tags: 2-d, 3-d, dlp, texas instruments
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Multi-Channel Election Night Coverage
If one channel just enough during election season, Dish Network is offering a mosiac channel with six simultaneous feeds of news channels.
It started Tuesday, Oct. 28, and will run through Nov. 7.
For those 11 days, you can turn to Channel 100 and catch Fox News Channel, CNN, MSNBC, CNN Headlines News, C-SPAN and C-SPAN 2.
(At least the remote control will get some rest …)
Since May, Dish has offered Dish Decision 2008, an interactive application with news and information about the presidential candidates, plus state-by-state news, information and polling about congressional and gubernatorial races.
Dish rival DirecTV is also offering an Election Day mosaic channel, in this case an eight-channel offering called Election Mix.
Thanks to TV Technology.
Tags: directv, dish network, election day
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Anybody Buying Blu-ray?
There are ads for them all over the place as everybody seems to be pushing Blu-ray as the better version of DVD – much like DAT was the new audio cassette (but at least that’s digital vs. analog, not better digital vs. digital) and we know what happened to DAT …
And who can argue with 1080 lines of resolution (BR) vs. 480 (DVD), but we the consuming universe just don’t want to shell out $30 for a BR title when we are quite happy to pay less (often much, much less) for a regular, good old DVD.
(And DVD are not really that old, are they?)
In a sign that there is than one of us out there with the same way of thinking, as of last month, only 4% of U.S. movie disc sales were Blu-ray, according to Nielsen VideoScan. Many consumers remain happy with mainstream DVDs, surveys show. 
So let me hear your arguments about going over the blu side …
Tags: audio cassette, blu-ray, dat, DVD, Nielsen VideoScan
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Sears Wants Your Old Gadgets
Sears is offering VenJuvo’s Trade4Credit program to Sears.com shoppers that will allow you to earn Sears store credit in exchange for trading in pre-owned gadgets that have been determined to still hold value.
The program, which offers free recycling and shipping, will accept a variety of gadgets, including iPhones, digital cameras and camcorders, MP3 players, GPS systems and gaming systems.
To use the service, simply have to log onto www.sears.trade4credit.com, select your gadget and then enter the specifics about it so the system can calculate an estimated trade-in value. Once the value is established, the user can print out the prepaid mailing label and send the device to VenJuvo.
After the device is received, VenJuvo will validate the value and within three days you will be able to collect a Sears gift card for that value.
A quick look at the site tells me the product categories are narrow and the prices low. Now, wouldn’t eBay be a better choice in some cases?
More at TWICE.
Tags: ebay, recycling, sears, trade4credit, twice, venjuvo
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HDTVs Sales Single End to STVs
Shipments of High-Definition televisions this year surpassed that of standard TVs, according to iSuppli, a leading market researcher.
Significant price reductions and the increasing availability of content over multiple distribution channels are the key drivers behind HDTV sales.
And don’t all sports events look better in HD? 
As a result, HDTV shipments are expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 20% from 97.1 million units last year to 241.2 million by 2012. In 2008, HDTV shipments will reach 124.2 million units, while non-HDTV shipments fall to 86.6 million.
With the technology everywhere these days — on broadcast television, cable, satellite and the Internet, you can’t escape hearing about something being broadcast in HD or getting the most out of your HD receiver or the most HD channels available.
Shipments of standard definition TVs (STVs), on the other hand, are expected to decline at a rate of 27% from 114.8 million units in 2007 to 23.1 million units by 2012, iSuppli said.
More at InformationWeek.
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Rovio Wi-Fi VoIP Robotic Webcam
The <a href=”http://www.amazon.com/WowWee-Rovio-Enabled-Robotic-WebCam/dp/B001CQLGD6%3FSubscriptionId%3D151BWK97V0S8BGYJ8F02%26tag%3Dtechstuff01-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB001CQLGD6″ title=”Buy now at amazon.com-only !” onmouseover=”return overlib(’Click for Amazon price:
WowWee Rovio Wi-Fi Enabled Robotic WebCam
Buy Now‘, STICKY, TIMEOUT, 6000);” onmouseout=”return nd();”>WowWee Rovio
is a cool Wi-Fi enabled robotic webcam. I like to call Rovio a remote-controlled VoIP webcam sentry robot.
The <a href=”http://www.amazon.com/WowWee-Rovio-Enabled-Robotic-WebCam/dp/B001CQLGD6%3FSubscriptionId%3D151BWK97V0S8BGYJ8F02%26tag%3Dtechstuff01-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB001CQLGD6″ title=”Buy now at amazon.com-only !” onmouseover=”return overlib(’Click for Amazon price:
WowWee Rovio Wi-Fi Enabled Robotic WebCam
Buy Now‘, STICKY, TIMEOUT, 6000);” onmouseout=”return nd();”>Rovio
is pretty futuristic looking. It looks like it belongs on some sci-fi TV show or movie. Reminds me of some vehicle I saw on Terminator 2. The Rovio can move in any direction and can be controlled remotely. Simply view and interact with Rovio’s environment through its streaming video and audio from its built in camera using a browser. You can even control the Rovio from an iPhone and the Nintendo DS.
Continue reading Rovio Wi-Fi VoIP Robotic Webcam…
Tags: camera, iphone, nintendo ds, robot, Rovio, video, video streaming, voip, wifi, WowWee
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How Low Can Blu-ray Go?
If you’ve got any cash, this may be a truly wonderful season to buy all the gadgets you want — it’s list the Xmas shopping season isn’t even waiting to Halloween this year (forget about Thanksgiving!).
Try this one on for size — Best Buy is selling its proprietary Insignia brand Blu-ray Disc player for $199 (after a $30 in-store discount) — more than 40% off the suggested retail price.
Industry observers have long considered a sub-$200 price point key to bridging the demarcation line separating early adopters from mainstream consumers.
The Profile 1.1 (NS-BRDVD) player, which includes $100 in discount coupons on select Blu-ray movies, has been viewed as a “conversation starter” designed to spark consumer interest in high-definition packaged media.
In addition, the price drop, less than six weeks before Black Friday, when retailers traditionally slash prices on select consumer products heading into the holiday shopping season, follows a move by Target, which last week bowed an Olevia-brand Profile 1.1 player for $229.
Analysts are surprised by the price cut since Blu-ray manufacturers have said it was not economically advantageous to go below $299, much less $200. However, we can now expect to see multiple $199 units with $20 rebates and free discs thrown in.
But don’t expect the $199 to be common; every retailer will want at least one model at that level, if only to seduce you into that section of the store.
More at Home Media Magazine.
Tags: best buy, black friday, blu-ray, insignia, olevia, profile 1.1, target
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Philips Bows Swappable Xbox 360-Like TV Faceplates
Philips has announced the launch of a range of swappable faceplates for its televisions. They will work in a similar way to the Xbox 360 and allow you to customize your television to match your décor.
Called “Flavors,” the new flat high-gloss white TV will feature removable frames. The removable frames are available in a variety of colors and patterns that can be customized and taken on and off the front of the TV in a matter of seconds.
A matching Flavors home theater system also has interchangeable frames.
To match that white design you’ll get white cables and even the remote control is in high-gloss white to match the “pure design” of the television.
As a final touch, the Flavors products come with a choice of on-screen menus that match the chosen design of the frames.
Flavors will initially only be available in Italy, however a spokesperson for the company has said that if successful we will see them in the UK.
(And what about the U.S.?????)
More at Pocket Lint.
Tags: flavors, philips, swappable faceplates, xbox 360
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1 Billion Wi-Fi Gadgets by 2012?!
The number of electronic gadgets equipped with Wi-Fi chips could mo
re than triple from the 294 million in the market in 2007 to — get this! – 1 billion by 2012, according to a report from the research firm In-Stat.
The fastest growing gadget group? Mobile handsets.
In-Stat said lower prices on Wi-Fi-equipped devices and more robust batteries had been the key ingredients in the technology’s growth.
Digital TVs also are expected to use Wi-Fi in the future, the report said. Today only a handful of TVs are capable of connecting to the Internet via Wi-Fi.
More at CNET.
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Do We Need a Digital Bill of Rights?
TechCrunch, mu
ch like the Digital Freedom Campaign, believes we need a Digital Bill of Rights to serve as “a consistent policy governing everything from Internet Protocol regulations to intellectual property on the Web.”
The Digital Freedom Campaign focuses on the first three issues laid out in the TechCrunch piece – “The Right to Use and Reuse Content,” “The Right to Control Digital Property On Your Own Device” and “The Right to the Free Flow of Information.”
The presidential election gives us a chance to turn the page and move forward, with support and guidance from policymakers, into a bright digital future.
Now let’s see if anyone in Washington is listening.
Read more about it at TechCrunch.
And then cast your vote!
Tags: digital bill of rights, techcrunch
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Is It Time for 3D TV?
With such television makers as Samsung and Panasonic unveiling flat-screen sets that are capable of displaying 3-D content, the format is widely considered the next leap forward in TV technology.
So far, 3-D programming has been about stunts and gimmicks rather than an earnest play to engage viewers on a deeper level. With growing competition from other media, however, it may be time for the television industry to push forward with 3-D.
The technological advances are the necessary foundation that network programmers need before they invest more in 3-D.
As consumers invest in televisions that can handle 3-D content — either over-the-air or through Blu-ray players — networks in turn will have an incentive to invest in both producing and broadcasting content in 3-D.
More at TVWeek.com.
Tags: 3-d tv, blu-ray, escher, panasonic, samsung
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Motorola Femtocell Picture Frame Combines VoIP, Video, Bluetooth, Touchscreen and more
Check out this cool new converged prototype device from Motorola that combines a picture frame with touch-screen, video camera, Bluetooth headset, VoIP, femtocell, and video streaming. A femtocell is a small cellular base station, typically designed for use in residential or small business environments that allows you to use your mobile phone in your home connecting to your femtocell access point.
Femtocells essentially are an alternative way to deliver the benefits of Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) without the need for a dual-mode handset. In the Youtube demo video below demoed by Motorola representative Harsha Hegde, you can clearly see they’re using the popular Counterpath Xten SIP-based softphone - also shown in the screen grab above. Motorola also demonstrates a femtocell mobile-to-mobile VoIP call, which is pretty cool.
Tags: bluetooth, femtocell, motorola, photo frame, picture frame, video, voip
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Make Mine Memorex: Nice Blu-ray for $269
Memorex is doing its part to lower Blu-ray prices with the upcoming release of its MVBD-2510 Blu-ray player.
The MVBD-2510 features 1080p playback at either 24p or 60p frame rates.
Audio playback includes: Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio decoding and bit stream output, as well as Master Audio bit stream output.
The MVBD-2510 also includes 7.1 HDMI digital audio output and 5.1 analog audio output.
The player will be available in November for $269, which certainly correlates with the recent reports of Blu-ray prices dropping.
But, then again, the Blu-ray Disc Association doesn’t foresee prices dropping anytime soon.
More at CEPro.
Tags: blu-ray, blu-ray disc association, ce pro, dolby, dts, hdmi, memorex, mvbd-2510
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SanDisk Goes 32GB Flash for Photo/Video Pros
SanDisk has introduced a 32-GB CompactFlash card, the company’s largest CF storage device for professional digital photographers and videographers.
The latest Extreme III CompactFlash is twice the size of SanDisk’s previous largest product. The new card has read and write speeds of 30 MBps.
The higher-capacity card is aimed at people who use Hi-Def camcorders, enabling users to store as much as 80 minutes of 100 MBps, 10-bit, 4:2:2 HD video, which is of sufficient quality for today’s professional video applications, according to SanDisk.
For photographers, the additional capacity is useful for storing pictures shot in RAW format. The format uses 10 times the storage space as regular JPG images, but provides higher-quality images.
The card can operate under temperatures ranging from minus 13 degrees Fahrenheit to 185 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pricing: 2 GB, $45; 4 GB, $70; 8 GB, $130; and 16 GB, $240; 32 GB, $300.
Availability: October.
Get more at Information Week.
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Movie Rentals? Try a DVD Kiosk Near You
DVD-rental kiosks are popping up everywhere, from grocery stores to gas stations and at just about every McDonald’s in between.
The trend is expected to be a lucrative one, too: Adams Media Research predicts that there will be about 24,000 DVD-rental kiosks by 2010 and that they’ll bring in approximately $760 million in revenue.
Now you know why Blockbuster stores across the country are shrinking and Netflix is feeling the heat, too.
When you say “I want my DVD,” what do you do?
Do you check out your cable system for an on-demand DVD treat — personally, I’m always amazed at how many movies I’ve never even heard of … how about you?
Read more about it in the Houston Chronicle.
Tags: adams media research, blockbuster, dvd kiosk, mcdonald’s, netflix
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Digital TV Transition Already Has Hiccups
Earlier this week, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin Martin flipped an oversize, symbolic switch in Wilmington, NC, to celebrate the city’s early transition to all-digital TV signals.
The first! 
And guess what, by later that day, the FCC had already fielded several hundred calls from local residents who weren’t able to watch TV. 
All of which did not seem to surprise Martin: “I’m sure we’re still going to hear from people who weren’t prepared,” he said early in the day. “But the bigger question is: What did we learn here that we can replicate around the country?”
Indeed!
Will shall see … Sometimes those lessons take a while to sink in.
Read more about it in The Washington Post.
Tags: all-digital television, FCC, Kevin martin
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Mar 21, 2007 - FCC adopts video franchise rules and overrules states that allow rural phone companies to block VoIP -
Mar 05, 2007 - Digital Transition? What Digital Transition? -
Feb 20, 2007 - Tax VoIP to fund USF? Bah! -
Jun 02, 2006 - Don’t Throw Out Those Old TVs Yet -
Dec 22, 2005
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Sling Media SlingCatcher and Slingbox PRO-HD Available
The new Sling Media SlingCatcher and Slingbox PRO-HD (Sling Media Slingbox PRO-HD SB100-100) are now available for pre-order from Amazon and SlingMedia.com at $299.99 each. Just in time for the Christmas holiday season! Woot! Ok, Christmas is still 3 months away, so I’m getting a little ahead of myself.
The highly anticipated SlingCatcher lets you display video content to your TV using a USB drive, but even cooler it can project your PC’s display (Youtube, Hulu, etc) and audio to your TV. It can also directly receive a Slingbox feed.
The Slingbox PRO-HD is the first Slingbox to stream in high definition (HD) supporting 1080i resolution and 5.1 surround sound. It can serve video up to PCs, Macs, and mobiles. Slingbox PRO-HD supports multiple inputs including of course component inputs to capture HD broadcast content from your HD set-top box. It also sports an integrated digital tuner including both ATSC OTA and clear QAM - a first for any Slingbox. You’ll probably need some serious bandwidth to stream HD video over the Internet, so really this is best for streaming on a LAN not over the Internet. Though Slingbox does some pretty good compression and buffering, so maybe it can?
To pre-order the Slingbox PRO-HD from Amazon before the mad holiday rush (Wii shortages?), head on over <a href=”http://www.amazon.com/Sling-Media-Slingbox-PRO-HD-SB100-100/dp/B001EZRJZE%3FSubscriptionId%3D151BWK97V0S8BGYJ8F02%26tag%3Dtechstuff01-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB001EZRJZE” title=”Buy now at amazon.com-only !” onmouseover=”return overlib(’Click for Amazon price:
Sling Media Slingbox PRO-HD SB100-100
Buy Now‘, STICKY, TIMEOUT, 6000);” onmouseout=”return nd();”>here
And to pre-order the Sling Media SlingCatcher SC100-100 Universal Media Player for TV on Amazon, click <a href=”http://www.amazon.com/Sling-Media-SlingCatcher-SC100-100-Universal/dp/B000VXD2S8%3FSubscriptionId%3D151BWK97V0S8BGYJ8F02%26tag%3Dtechstuff01-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB000VXD2S8″ title=”Buy now at amazon.com-only !” onmouseover=”return overlib(’Click for Amazon price:
Sling Media SlingCatcher SC100-100 Universal Media Player for TV
Buy Now‘, STICKY, TIMEOUT, 6000);” onmouseout=”return nd();”>here
Tags: 1080i, digital tuner, HD, Sling Media Slingbox PRO-HD SB100-100, Slingbox PRO-HD, streaming video, TV
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Samsung’s Green Gadget Returns Mean Free for All
Samsung has announced free recycling for all Samsung-branded consumer electronics in all 50 states, beginning October 1.
Samsung has just announced its Recycling Direct, a program that will enable consumers in all 50 states to recycle Samsung-branded consumer electronics devices like televisions, monitors, DVD players, home theater systems, cameras, camcorders, printers, peripherals — essentially, all Samsung-branded consumer electronics.
(Look for the one in the photo above at a recycling center sometime this century …0
The exception will be home appliances (too bad about my washer and dryer when that day comes), which can’t be accepted at the drop-off points, although a growing number will be accepting them.
Recycling for Samsung-branded electronics will be free; consumers can also drop off non-Samsung electronics for recycling and safe disposal for a nominal fee. The program will include a number of collection sites, including permanent drop-off centers in all 50 U.S. states.
Samsung is working directly with recycling companies rather than intermediaries and claims it is only working with operations that meet Samsung’s criteria and are a good match with its environmental philosophy: Samsung says it is utilizing recyclers that do not incinerate, landfill or export toxic waste to developing economies, and that it will be tracking and monitoring all the recycled electronics to ensure they’re disposed of properly. The company plans to publish the results of the program on its Web site.
Now if everybody else will please get in line …
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